The ship docked in Lampedusa around 11:40pm on Tuesday, thus putting an end to a crisis triggered by Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Salvini, who rejected letting sea rescue NGOs disembark migrants on the country’s ports.

The Open Arms rescue ship arriving in the Lampedusa port. (Screenshot from a video by Ane Irazabal / via ACN)

‘After 19 days, we’re disembarking in Lampedusa today. Our ship will be temporarily seized, but it’s a price that @openarms_fund is willing to pay in order to guarantee the safety of the people aboard, who will be taken care of. Prioritizing their health and safety in this humanitarian crisis is indispensable,’ said Oscar Camps, the NGO founder via Twitter.

Patronaggio’s decision was announced shortly after Spain sent an army ship to evacuate the rescued migrants, as the NGO refused Madrid’s offer for a safe harbour in the Balearic Islands, more than 3 days away.

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